BOOKTOPIA Q&A Madonna’s book, Ten-Ager, provides insight into the lives of our 10-year-old daughters and nieces and grandchildren. Why do they find friendship so hard? Why is there a need, beyond

Before the sun rose yesterday morning, our big neighbourhood park was alive with those wanting to venture outside, safely. But what stood out was the number of fathers out early

Christenings. That first day of school. That end-of-term party. Even Friday-night fish and chips. They provide a routine and a sense of purpose, particularly for our young. A sense of

Like so, so many others, my father’s death while I was still a teenager was tough; it left a big, gaping hole in our family. Little things now stand out,

U2 opened their Australian tour in Brisbane on Tuesday night, and Suncorp Stadium was packed to the rafters with fans. But here’s the thing. U2 was originally rejected by a big record

This father of two teen girls — aged 14 and 19 — is in a bind: his elder daughter is dating a boy he doesn’t like. Not because he supports

On a weekday father-daughter night at a central Victorian school, a teen girl arrives with a live yabby. It’s in a little takeaway food tub, filled with water. Fathers and

Annie’s dad is a doctor — an anaesthetist to be exact — but the 15-year-old mentions that without a hint of pride. “I’m in bed every night when he comes

At a school in Perth, a group of teen girls is sitting in a circle, practising breathing techniques. One. Two. Three. Four. “I’ve only got a couple of minutes with

Cancer specialist Bruce Robinson regularly delivers the news that takes patients directly to their moment of truth. The truth he tells them is that they’re going to die. The truth

Let me introduce you to three 14-year-old girls: Mandy, Margaret and Joanne. They are all drunk tired. “We go from school to sport to homework to bed to sport, back